The control of bleeding during surgery accounts for a major proportion of the total time involved in an operation. The bleeding that occurs when tissue is incised obscures the surgeon's vision, reduces his precision and often dictates slow and elaborate procedures in surgical operation. Each bleeding vessel must be grasped in pincer like clamps to stop the flow of blood and the tissue and vessel within each clamp must then be tied with pieces of fine thread. These ligated masses of tissue die and decompose and thus tend to retard healing and promote infection.
The invention described herein is a hemostatic surgical cutting instrument incorporating an electrically heated edge, where it is desirable to minimize a number of external electrical connections to a series of electrical elements.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a surgical cutting instrument having a heated element which is electrically heated to a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, and cauterizing the surfaces of the incision, thereby allowing surgery to be more rapidly performed. It is accomplished in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of this invention by providing an electrically heated element adjacent the cutting edge of the blade and by providing a control system which maintains the heated element at a high substantially constant temperature during its use.
The temperature at which the cutting edge of the blade is maintained depends upon such factors as the nature of the tissue to be cut, the speed of the cutting desired, the degree of tissue coagulation desired and the nonadherence of the blade to the incised tissue and generally is maintained between 200.degree.-300.degree. C. for typical incisions. The handle of the cutting instrument is thermally insulated from the blade to permit comfortable use of the instrument and the handle and blade with its electrically heated cutting edge are detachable for easy replacement and interchangeability.